Supporting the health and wellbeing of women apprentice and trainees

Use this guidance and the linked resources to give women and gender diverse apprentices and trainees the support they need to stay healthy and engaged in their training and work.

Maintain safe and accessible facilities

Provide appropriate facilities for women and people of all genders to support them to participate at work with dignity.

Audit facilities regularly to ensure compliance with workplace standards.
Match the number and quality of toilets to workforce size, setting and gender needs.
Keep facilities clean, well-lit and equipped with handwashing stations.
Where fixed facilities are unavailable, ensure access to compliant toilets.
Provide secure, hygienic and private spaces for changing and showering as required.
Learn more:
WorkSafe | Resources| Compliance code workplace facilities and working environment
- Provide hygienic sanitary disposal and servicing in every female and all-gender toilet.
Learn more:
- WorkSafe | All gender toilet facilities workplace
- Make every effort to meet the needs of breastfeeding parents while complying with workplace health and safety laws.
- Provide clean, private spaces for expressing milk.
- Consult and support breastfeeding staff to enable breaks for expressing.
Learn more:
- Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission | Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Support reproductive health and wellbeing

Supporting pregnancy and reproductive health issues can make work safer, more comfortable and productive.

- Consider making policies address reproductive health and treatments.
- Include issues like periods, endometriosis, fertility treatments, pregnancy and menopause in these policies.
- Share policies with staff and leaders and encourage their use.
Learn more:
- The Victorian Women’s Trust’s | menstrual and menopause wellbeing policy template
- Consult with the pregnant person about parental leave and potential changes like flexible work arrangements.
- Respond appropriately to professional medical advice, including providing adjustments such as light duties or time off when required.
- Some people may wish to continue working with adjustments to safely perform physical tasks.
- Provide suitable uniforms and PPE designed for pregnancy.
- Discuss and agree on the leave plan including the expected return date.
- Discuss and agree on the suspension of the apprenticeship training contract during parental leave. This requires the apprentice to sign a suspension form, lodged by the employer with their Apprentice Connect Australia Provider.
- Discuss and agree on their needs e.g. pausing study or completing units that are less labour-intensive.
- Coordinate with the TAFE or RTO to confirm the apprentice or trainee’s leave and expected return date.

About this resource

This resource supports women and may support gender diverse and non-binary people.

Employer guidance: How to support women apprentices and trainees

Not sure where to start? The guidance below brings together employer responsibilities, practical steps and links to further resources to help you create a safe, fair and respectful workplace for women apprentices and trainees.